13 Able: Exercise Therapy for Everyone: Family Fitness that Includes Special Needs!

by Alexandra Allred

This guide is written for those living with any diagnosis that impacts their functional movements and/or learning abilities. This guide is designed for caregivers, aides, instructors, parents, and/or guardians to better understand what fitness means to this population, why it is important, and what activities can be done to improve cognitive and functional movement; whether a person is ambulatory or not or uses walking-assistant devices, there are multiple challenges available for every person. Physical and cognitive exercise routines are provided at the end of the book to empower. These are simply guides for multi-directional, transitional challenges, as well as muscle-, stamina- and balance-building exercises.
It is imperative that all participants be given clearance for such activities by their attending physicians. The entire premise behind this program is to empower, never break down. That said, not only were the exercises presented here used throughout a multi- year study with occupational therapy students but also were "Kid tested! Kid approved!" by our amazing participants. Ultimately, what
will fully empower and benefit its users comes when caregivers, instructors, aides, parents/guardians, and coaches also participate. A wellness program for those living with disability or impairment works best when everyone buys in. Good luck, have fun, and believe that
positive change is possible. Welcome to the greatest program on earth!

156 pages, Paperback

Published May 8, 2020

About the author

Alexandra Allred was born in Frankfurt, Germany and traveled the world as the daughter of a
US Diplomat and DIA attaché. She made sports (and medical) history through sport. When
she learned that women were not allowed in bobsled, she lobbied for equal status and would
ultimately win the U.S. Nationals in September 1994, making sports history as she was named to
the first women’s bobsled team.  When the United States Olympic Committee named her Athlete
of the Year for her sport, it made international news as Allred was pregnant when she made the
team!
At the time, there was very little data on elite pregnant athletes and powerlifting/plyometrics.
While Allred became the “poster child” of the Case Western OB/GYN international study,
Allred was, at five months pregnant, squatting 375 lbs. and clocked at 20 MPH while
running.  The results of this study changed how to measure the safety of baby in utero for
competitive athletes. Both the United States and International Olympic Committee use Alex’s
training data as a safety guide for pregnant athletes and she serves as a fitness/nutrition expert
for www.pregnancy.org. 
      Sports Illustrated also took interest, asking her to try out for a women’s professional football
team and write about her experiences in the award-winning book, Atta Girl! A Celebration of
Women in Sport (Wish Publishing).  Allred went on to write for a series of publications and
appear on numerous television and print outlets, and was also the subject of a series of
documentaries.
 Alex's professional athletic and writing careers have been based on empowerment. Alex
wrote the first ever US bylaws for the women's bobsled program and fought to have women
included in the Olympic Games; she changed protocol for elite coaches (as well as the USOC
and IOC) in regards to physical training while pregnant; testified before the IOC at the London
Games; served as an Air Ambassador and lobbied on Capitol Hill and was nominated as a White
House Champion of Change for Public Health and was invited to speak before the International
Thoracic Society on public health. She created an asthma commercial (aired before the US
Senate) with the League of Women Voters and when she saw a need for those within the special
needs populations, she returned to school so she could be an advocate for their cause. She is an
award-winning documentary filmmaker/author and continues to freelance nationally and
internationally, as well as public speaking on issues of empowerment, equality, business and
education. She has penned more than 20 books and continues to guest freelance for multiple
national publications.
She is an adjunct professor at both Tarleton State University and Navarro College, teaching
kinesiology lectures and classes, as well as leadership and success skills courses. Using her
students and faculty, including the Occupational Therapy Department, Allred created an exercise
and empowerment program for special needs that include those with a diagnosis of Down
syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, fetal alcohol syndrome, stroke, as we all other intellectual
and/or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) who need a health/wellness overhaul but also need
greater self-esteem and confidence building. 13 Able was created to spur on fitness, happiness
and empowerment.

      This 4th degree black belt retired from competitive fighting long ago but continues to offer
free self-defense classes for women and health/wellness class for those living within the Special
Needs world.
      Today, as she fights for her parents against Alzheimer's and dementia, Operation
Caregivers: #LifewithDementia is yet another battle to restore dignity for those who suffer
from the disease and empowerment for their caregivers. Today, she also offers free fitness
classes for those living with special needs as she believes EVERYONE deserves to be
empowered!